Re-Thinking the Christian Worldview

Health

January 20, 2014

I've been in Amman Jordan for the last few days setting up The KIVU Gap Year internship programs.

If you don't know about The KIVU Gap Year, it's a year long program for Highs School graduates to travel the world, work in different cultures, develop a network of friends around the globe, and most importantly; see a REAL worldview out of the classroom.

In any event, Last night I had a chance to sit down with some of our exchange students who have been at KIVU in the summertime. Sami, Rasha, Reem, Luke and I were at the top of a restaurant overlooking Amman, having the conversation of a lifetime.

We talked about Middle East politics among young professionals, we spoke of career paths for these three bright young people, and we ended with a deep question, "How is God moving in your life?"

After sharing our spiritual growth, it was evident we shared more than just a meal. These three come from different backgrounds, dedicated to their own version of faith, but united under a banner of loving one another.

We didn't have to get into theology differences.
We didn't have to dive into the reasons one is "right" over the other.
We were just 5 friends hanging in out in a place talking about life in the most intimate way. Sharing life together is what humanity is all about.

You know, there are some evenings the world just spins the right direction, and you can catch a small glimpse of what heaving is supposed to look like.

After getting back to our hotel, I was convinced, this is it. Sharing life with our Jordanian friends is about as close to heaven as I can even imagine here on earth.

Before we end our time here and head back to America, it's off to another friend's place of worship. It's gonna be awesome!! Don't miss out, I'm sure God will show up up somehow, and I'll continue the story this evening.

October 22, 2013

Last week I was writing about the necessity of sleep. We know the impact of sleep on our biological functions is so important. In fact, Last week I was talking with my friend Bob, and he was telling me about an NPR report actually revealing the way sleep "washes" away the bad proteins in our bodies. Not only is sleep important for our spiritual lives, but it's essential for us physically.

Next step in our spiritual disciplines is being able to eat.

No surprise to anyone out there, obesity in America is CRAZY out of hand. Diabetes rates are skyrocketing, heart disease continues to kill, and the lethargic nature of our society has made us a sedentary people. I have to say, we've started to worship the idol of food instead of eating for what food was meant to be. Just look at the number of FOOD shows on T.V. now. (I'll stop. That's for another article)

For some reason, we've been told exercise and dieting is all about what you look like. People are getting their last binge of food in here for the holidays, and you know what's going to happen after January 1. The New Year's resolution charade we play is like Christmas to the fitness industry. After we gorge ourselves through Thanksgiving, and totally obsess over the Christmas cookies, we start looking in the mirror and we don't like what we see.

The "hangover" has nothing to do with the movie series and much more to do with our unwanted rolls hanging over our belt areas. So if this happens every year, why do we STILL DO IT? Isn't there a way to begin taking control of what we eat? Or isn't there another reason to be careful about what we eat other than what we look like?

Paul wrote about this in the Bible. He spoke of eating and to what degree we eat in 1 Corinthians 6. Remember, this book was about a stern warning to a church who was growing more and more out of control, and the reason for the letter was to correct lifestyle theology. But check this out.

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.

What's crazy is Paul ties the idea of being mastered by food to sexual immorality. He goes on to write about how the body we have is THE temple of God. THE TEMPLE!!

Now I don't know how much ancient Jewish Theology you've done, but when God commanded the Jews of the Old Testament to build a temple, they didn't play around. They knew it was going to be the house where God would dwell. They understood the importance of every material, measurement, and margin. They would never treat the temple with anything but the highest regard.

So if Paul is comparing the Temple of God with our bodies, why do we think it ok to treat our bodies with anything less than the discipline it would take to build a physical temple? We pump terrible food in our system, we compromise and fill our veins with sugars and grains that are proven to disable the functionality of your physique, and all the while we justify it as just something God has given us to choose. SOMETHING IS WRONG!!

I think once you get your sleep patterns in line with how your body functions, the next step is to take a real hard look in the mirror and ask yourself if you're training your physical body with the proper discipline. Not discipline as a child might receive correction, but discipline because it takes effort to develop a healthy spiritual life. You're not going to just happen into a right spiritual world without some work. (I know that's not a very popular message these days in the Christian world, but let's be frank and honest.)

I'd love to hear how you guys are doing on your quest for healthy spiritual discipline. If you've got a success story, or even a story of failure, this is a great place to share life together, somewhat anonymous. Let me know how it's going.

This week, let's together try and have an honest discussion about what we're eating, and next week we'll work on the plan to help us get to healthy living both physically AND spiritually.

January 26, 2013

Well, you've got good reason!! Germs are all around us!! We now know how germs survive, how they multiply, and how they infect the body's natural functions. Guess what?? Most people wait to go on the defense when they get sick, but what if we actually went on the offense?

We don't have to walk around wiping every surface before we touch it. We don't have to be weird?We don't have to change a whole lot of our lifestyle. But a few tweeks here and there, and you can set your immune system up for success. It's cheaper.It's smarter.And you don't have to deal with getting sick.

Our friends over at Hi-Health have a few suggestions on how to help:

Vitamin C tops
the list of immune boosters for many reasons. There has been more research
about the immune-boosting effects of Vitamin C than perhaps any other
nutrient. Vitamin C supplements are inexpensive to produce, and it's
available naturally in many fruits and vegetables.

Omega-3 fatty acids. The omega 3 fatty acids in flax oil
and fatty fish (such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel) act as immune boosters
by increasing the activity of phagocytes, the white blood cells that eat
up bacteria.

Eating green veggies improve immune defenses!
Do you have a picky eater at home that doesn’t like to eat a
variety of greens? Looking for a good tasting multiple for your child? Hi-Health has a delicious fruit and
vegetable based multi that contains all the nutrients your growing child
needs. Lil' Wizards® Multi-Plus For Kids™ (60 wafers)or UltraPlan Multi-Vitamin for Teens,
a high potency multi for the active lifestyle of teenagers can be found at
www.hihealth.com. These chewable tablets with a fruit
and veggie blend, essential amino acid complex and probiotics are in a
delicious Outrageous Berry flavor.

Reduce the amount of sugar in the diet;
cookies, sugary soft drinks, and other sugary foods. These foods have been
found to lower the number of white blood cells leaving the body
susceptible to illness.

Probiotic versus placebo? Probiotics, often called “healthy
bugs,” may give the body the boost it needs to fight off infection—good
news for cold and flu season. A Cochrane Review found that probiotics may
even help fight off that unwanted cold.(Cochrane Database of Syst Rev 2011, Issue 9. Art. No.: CD006895.) Probiotics
are found in a variety of fermented foods, for example, yogurt and kefir.
Look on www.hihealth.com for Lil’Wizards
Probiotics for Kids in a chewable berry flavor!

Remember, anything you order from the Hi-Health website, enter in the Promo Code "KIVU" and you'll get 10% off their already low prices.

If you haven't been over to get your own personal health care evaluation, you should click on www.hihealth.com and visit the largest supplement player in the west.

January 19, 2013

I was recently in Dallas Texas visiting some of our long time KIVU families, and one of my dear friends asked me to meet him for lunch.

We went to one of those Texas style greasy spoon type steakhouses, and when we looked at the menu he looked at me emphatically and said, "It's chicken Fried Steak for me. You're not gonna find that on your health care weekend."

I laughed out loud in the crowded restaurant, knowing many families who read the Journey on the weekends to pick up a few healthy tips for their families.

Please know, I'm not trying to force any behavior on anyone. I laughed at my friend's comment, but I'm not trying to eradicate fast foods, tell people how to eat, or even imply some sort of behavioral misconduct if you don't eat healthy. I enjoy a little break from the norm every now and then, and I think you should feel the freedom to do whatever you want with your body.

However; in light of the statistics coming out about obesity and the related diseases coming on as a result of unhealthy eating and drinking, SOMEBODY has to start shouting from the mountaintops for our kids. Teenagers are entering into the heaviest generation EVER! And it's going to be a problem for us all unless we start taking real steps to help educate our population about the dangers of unhealthy lifestyles.

Today, we're highlighting What we Drink.

Now before you think this is a rant on buying bottled water let me be clear...

I'm not trying to sell anything here. This article is simply a reminder about how important your health care is when you look at drinking more water versus drinking some of the sugars we digest by choosing other snack drinks.

Our friends over at High Health are constantly striving to put together information for you and your family that can help guard off sickness, lethargic feeling, and help put a kick back in your step.

One easy way of addressing your family's health care this week is to understand the importance of drinking more clear fluid. After all, our bodies are made up of 85% H2O, and when we deprive our system of the fluid of life, it's easier for us to be susceptible to small colds, immunosuppressant diseases, and even our body's ability to digest fat cells stored when we eat poor foods.

One Doctor I interviewed for this article said, "When you drink more water, you allow your liver to do the job it was designed to do, mainly; emulsify the fats. When you're dehydrated, your kidneys work overtime, and your system isn't able to function at it's designed capacity."

Huh? I never thought of it like that.

Did you know...

Only 15 percent of school-age children drink the recommended amount of water, but on average they consume six sodas per week.

I realize the feelings we get when someone limits our freedom to drink whatever we want, but this isn't that discussion. I don't want to play politics with your life, only to help you see the impact soda might have on your system.

The average soda can has the equivalent of 10 cubes of sugar. Can you imagine putting 10 sugars in your morning coffee? Every one of us drinking that can are slurping down some of the most dangerous chemicals for our body. I'm not advocating never to drink a soda again, I'm just hoping we can see the damage we do with a simple can of Soda. If we look to the bottle sold in the convenient stores, or the liter, the sugar equivalent begins to sky rocket.

Sugar-sweetened beverages are the largest source of sugar in the diets of children and adolescents.

If you're looking for places to get healthier, just drop a few cokes a week. You don't have to go on a binge diet of salad or shakes. Just replace a few of the cokes you get with a big gulp of good old H2O. Water is what your body needs! I've watched people drop 5-10 lbs in a month just by limiting their intake of soda. Hey, what can it hurt? Give it a try and see what happens. Maybe you're body responds, you'll loose weight, feel better, and before we have to worry about diabetes, we can take one simple step in helping the health of you and your kids.

In our family, we just got in the habit of ordering water when we go out to eat. You can imagine with 5 kids, no only are we curbing the sugar intake, but we're curbing our budget too. It's amazing the difference.

My kids choose water now instead of looking for the next syrup filled beverage.

Eat Your Water: Remember the rule about eating more fruits and vegetables? Well, it's partly because they're actually good at replacing fluids. Fruits like grapes, watermelon, oranges or cantaloupe are full of water. So are veggies like lettuce, cucumbers and celery.

Partly the reason so many diets call for fresh fruits and vegetables isn't to try and force you to eat asparagus, but rather; so much of the healthy stuff is packed full of vital water nutrition. As you replenish your body with the stuff it needs, you'll feel better and be more productive. You'll be able to digest the bad stuff inevitably in our diets, and you'll set yourself up for a good long term health care.

Don't Run Out: If you and your family are out playing, running, jumping and sweating, you create a greater need for more water and other fluids such as sport drinks with the necessary electrolytes.

Most dietitians I know tell me we are walking around like dehydrated zombies. We fill our diets with caffeine, a natural diuretic, sugar, a mood enhancer, and we constantly have a lack of fluid. Be sure you're helping your family understand the importance of keeping hydrated. And guess what? If it doesn't work, there's nothing to say you can't go back to sugary drinks.

Try drinking a little more water this week, put down the soda, and just see what happens. Who knows? It might be the key you're looking for to help you and your family see healthy results.

December 15, 2012

I've just finished a long tour in the Middle East with some friends, and I'm back!! I'll write about Iraq, Lebanon, and the Arab League this coming week. But for the weekend, I want to highlight some well needed resources for you and your teenager.

As you know, most of the weekends over the past few months, I've highlighted the importance of focusing on your physical health. I'm convinced we must take careful consideration of our Mind, our Soul, AND our Body, if we want to continue pursuing an understanding of God's creation here in the world.

For this weekend, I've asked a friend of mine to help me understand the building blocks of our immune system and how we can begin building a healthy defense to battle the winter sicknesses sure to come.

We all know, healthy eating, sleeping well, and low stress keep our body's defense at a maximum ready state, but according to the experts at Hi-Health, there are a few things we can do to boost our immune system to stay well this winter.

Elderberries have been used as a folk remedy for centuries in North America, Europe, North Africa and Western Asia to several ailments, especially those suffering from coughs to bacterial infections. You can take Elderberries in the form of syrup, capsules and they even now have them in Gummy Bear chewable for kids. Elderberries taste good; therefore, the child to the adult will enjoy the pleasant taste.

Hi-Health has an exclusive formula for the immune system called Optim 3® Extra Strength Immune Nutrition with Beta Glucan. Beta Glucan is a scientifically proven biological defense modifier (BDM) that nutritionally modulates the immune response and helps support the immune system. It balances the immune system to provide the proper response at the time needed so the immune system is better prepared for sickness, infection and flu.

In order for YOU to build a stronger immune system, it's crucial to consume the recommended 5-9 servings of carotenoid-rich yellow and orange hues fruits and vegetables daily. For the past several decades, it's become clear to researchers that people who haven't done so experienced a greater risk of disease. Note: Surveys of a typical diet consistently show that only about 3% of the population are eating enough of the fruits and vegetables known to provide immune-building benefits.

So as you're checking into healthy eating habits this winter, don't forget these top three additions to your regular meals. If we can help fuel our bodies to function as God designed them to be, our thoughts become clearer, our attitudes become more positive, and everyone knows when your healthy, you just feel like facing the world.

It's no mistake Jesus said, "Love the Lord your God with all your Heart, With all your Soul, and with all your Mind." If we are on a Journey to see God, we've got to approach this Journey with a comprehensive Worldview, or we'll be missing part of His design.

So Go..Be Healthy...

And if you're interested in finding these additional supplements at a LOW cost, don't forget to check out Hi Health where you can get an individual health survey designed for your own individual health needs.

If you order from HI Health, put KIVU in the coupon code and get additional discounts.

Temptation of indoor sedentary activities including television, video games and computer use

That doesn't mean you should rush to throw your television out, or replace your X-Box with an indoor gym. But just think about it for a minute...Obesity leads to

Type 2 diabetes

Asthma

Sleep problems, including sleep apnea

Orthopedic (bone) problems due to an inability of the developing bones to support the excess weight

Hypertension (high blood pressure)

Heart disease

If you think for a second health care costs are going down when our population's weight continues to go up, you're living on another planet. This isn't simply someone else's problem anymore either. As long as we are a country who wants to afford quality health care to as many people as we can, WE'VE GOT to start coming together to help this epidemic from seeing reality.

I've been highlighting various companies around the country who are helping, and a friend of mine in Durango is helping me get educated as to how we can start helping our teens be more healthy.

She works for a company called Hi Health. For 40 years, Hi Health has been a leading source of quality supplements in a cost effective way. If you're looking for protein drinks, you should check out Hi-Helath. If you're looking for Omega 3, you should check out Hi-Health.

I talked with a nutritionist at Hi Health to figure out what teenagers are actually lacking. In other words, "What could are the three or four issues teenagers deal with that might help them start living a comprehensive healthy lifestyle."

This is what I found...

1) Teen Multiple: Foundation to help fill in nutrition gaps. Boost immunity with extra nutrients such as A,C,E, and zinc (kids are so busy, stressed, not eating right)

4) Calcium/Magnesium: Calcium/magnesium at bedtime helps quiet the mind and relax the body. Teens need both, either through consumption of dairy products or supplementation.

5) If teen cannot go to sleep, take 1-3 mg. of liquid melatonin at bedtime to aid relaxation

If you have teenagers, and you're looking for some things to help their bodies get on track, check out. Hi Health. Sometimes behavior issues, complexity issues, mood swings, and failure to pay attention have little to do with being diagnosed with some mental disorder; and everything to do with nutrition, and how kids are taking care of their bodies.

Go check out Hi Health, Enter KIVU in the promo code, and you'll get some special discounts on your order.

October 27, 2012

As we've tried to report how you can be more healthy in your day to day living habits, I'm drawn to what we can do to help encourage healthy living around the world.

This week I read a report from UNICEF detailing Malnutrition as the #1 cause of death in children five years old and younger. According to the report, over 5 million children under the age of 5 die of malnutrition every year. What if we decided to help others be healthy?

There is a great debate among non-profits around the world about whether it's still good to be serving up rice and beans to people who are hungry. Sure, something is better than nothing, but what if we could do better? What if we could supplement their health, by being healthier in our own homes.

If you're interested, keep reading, because I have an answer for this global problem.

Most of us are well aware of TOMS shoes, right? The concept is, buy a pair of shoes, and TOMS gives a pair of shoes to someone in the undeveloped world. I have HUGE respect for any entrepreneur thinking about social issues around the world, but what if there was a company willing to do the same in the arena of health? Could we curb the stats?

A friend of mine here in Durango has figured it out.

Mannatech is an organization based in Texas working to solve Malnutrition around the world. Founded in 1994 Mannatech boasts of State of the Art research and development labs focusing on cutting edge nutritional technologies. They've been reviewed by several notable Doctors and Health Professionals, and have been able to report REAL differences in the cost of health care in the developing world simply by providing all natural supplements to foods already being served.

One orphanage has even replaced their Malaria medicine with Nutriverus, and has seen a drop in the number of cases of Malaria simply by supplementing the kids food. THIS STUFF COULD BE A GAME CHANGER.

Mannatech's research reports over 150 million Americans are using vitamin supplements, most of which are poorly constructed and lack real quantifiable results. In other word's, I think we've found a market of people already taking supplements, and a market of developing world Malnourished kids who need them.

ABC News' 20/20 reported lack of nutrition in the early developmental years is to blame for stunted growth, lack of proper brain development, and serious organ and health problems.

We've got a BIG problem, and being a part of a nation with plenty, we have a responsibility to entertain solutions to reach out and help.

As I was talking to my friend about Mannatech, one of the things that stood out in our conversation was the lack of most Vitamin Supplement companies to answer the question of malnutrition at the cellular level. We might be taking Vitamin C, B-1, and Fish Oils, but if you don't take them in the right proportion at the right time, they ineffective.

Mannatech has answered this problem.

They have introduced a product that allows the cells of your body to speak to each other about what's going on in your body.

As we believe God created our bodies to live well, the foods we've eaten have prohibited our cells to talk to one another when it comes to circulatory response, disease readiness, and even promote low energy levels.

This Nutriverus product answers the cellular communication problem. With one scoop of Nutriverus in the morning, you can assure your body will be primed and ready to battle the environment around us.

And here's where we can solve Malnutrition.

Mannatech is an organization committed to providing a certain volume of product for every product purchased. Just think TOMS shoes, but in a way we can help build a world with healthy kids. So if you begin testing Nutriverus, you can begin providing Nutriverus to orphans, poverty stricken areas, and poor health areas of the country.

My friend has put together a website explaining how this all works. CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION TO HELP ORPHANS. With videos, articles, and a place where you can engage, we can all begin to develop healthy living and give it away.

Mannatech has impeccable Endorsements including Dr. Ben Carson of Johns Hopkins Hospital, Former President Vicente Fox of Mexico, Dr. John Rollins, The NFL Retired Players Association, Convoy of Hope, The Asian Pacific Children's fund, and many many more.

If you're looking for a place where you can be healthier while helping build a healthier world, take a second and click on the link above. See how my friend Gerry is changing the world for orphans.

*I do not receive any financial resources for reporting this product. I'm simply making you aware of a wonderful organization trying to change the world. Check it out.

October 13, 2012

I was talking with one of my friends yesterday, and we were talking about getting older, turning 40, and feeling GREAT!

"What's the secret?" I asked.

"Eat Clean. Sleep Well. Lift Heavy." He answered.

That's it.

This isn't rocket science.

We got this.

We can make a difference as we get fit together.

So this is what I'm proposing....

Today, as you work into your weekend, let's encourage each other.

Feel free to snap a picture of what you're eating, and upload it right here. Take a snapshot of your workout today, and share it with us. Let's be sure we're helping fill our heads with ideas of how to eat well, work out well, and feel great.

The Obesity problem in the US is growing at an alarming rate, causing health care costs to soar through the roof. It's not the government's responsibility to answer our insurance issues, or our careless health care decisions. We must take responsibility for our own well being. Today we have a choice...

Eat sloppy and continue to give over to laziness and irresponsibility OR:

Start changing little by little, so each one of us helps to be a part of the solution instead of the problem.

So load those pictures today.

I'll be posting some active photos all day long.

Load those images of your meals.

Show us what you're eating, and how we can encourage you to be healthy today.

Let's be a community dedicated to solving problems, not creating them.

October 06, 2012

All week, you've been waiting to find out new tips for how we can take our bodies back with responsible eating, moderate exercise, and health care tips to curb this national crisis of overweight, obese America threatening everything from our souring economic health care costs to a recent article outlining the problems with overweight military personel. We've got some work to do, so let's get to it.

As I was cruising the web this morning I happened on the LIVESTRONG website. Most notable for their cancer research, there are some GREAT tips on how to start thinking about getting in shape and making sure your body is functioning as it should. You can read the FULL ARTICLE HERE and use it as a resource as you start working on getting healthier. Tips for today

Most people think you need to be a gym rat to watch the weight fall off, but really, you just need to up what you're already doing. Walk for 30 minutes more than you did yesterday. Ride your bike for 30 min. to an hour. Maybe it's time to get back in the gym and lift some easy weights. You don't have to be a body builder to be in shape. Just push a little further than you did yesterday.

As you start watching your body de-tox from all the bad foods (i.e. chips, soft drinks, and candy) and you kick start that metabolism into action, it gets easier and easier.

This isn't Rocket Science.It's not a FAD diet. We're just going to start encouraging people of faith to take their bodies as serious as they take going to church, doing small groups, or getting Bible Studies in for the week.

You can do this.Take control of your "temple."

And as you see the benefits from changing a little at a time, let's be a band of encouragers to see our health get better and better.

Come back next time for health care weekends, where I'll try to point to the most beneficial websites, resources, documentaries, and lifestyle changes where we can take responsibility for the problems facing our culture.

September 22, 2012

A New report came out this week, and it was incredibly disturbing. By 2030 some news outlets were predicting that 40% of Americans will be Obese. NOT JUST Overweight, but Obese.

We've got an incredible problem in this country. The alarm bells need to be going off. We're in serious trouble. According to the article:

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found, in data published in August, that Mississippi is the country's leader in adult obesity, at 34.9%. That number could rise to 66.7% by 2030, the new report found.

The new analysis also projected that obesity rates in 13 states could rise above 60% among adults by 2030. By that year, every state in the nation may have adult obesity rates above 44%, including 39 states with rates higher than 50%, the report said.

I know discussions like this can make someone feel inadequate, like a failure, and lost not knowing what to do about it. I know you feel like all you need is another diet, but that's not the answer. You don't need to starve yourself. You don't need to run 2 hours everyday. You can make a serious difference in your life and the lives of people around you.

We can do this!

It's not rocket science. We weren't created to succumb to this disease. All it takes are small shifts in our lifestyle, and we can save billions of dollars. Not to mention the spiritual command to know "your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

We have a tremendous opportunity to worship God through the way we take care of our bodies. We can feel better, have more energy, and feel our bodies function at high levels of performance.

Let me encourage you today to take an honest look at your health, and let's start doing something about it. If you're healthy, help a friend. If you have healthy friends, reach out to your communities. If your community is healthy, help us reach your city.

We can do this!

If you feel embarrassed, or don't know where to go, let me know. I'm thinking of starting a "How To" page here on the Journey to Accompany the daily posts. I'll have weekly posts from health care professionals about eating, exercise, and overall body health. But I don't want to do it if nobody wants to read it.